Omo Alaje' - The One Who has the Benevolence of the goddess of Wealth.

Omo Alaje,

Okuta trembles at your enthralling voice,

so does it fall apart before you like Dagon fell before the ark.

Your smile infects instantly at contact like Ebola,

initiating impulse buys by your enticed customers.

 

Omo Alaje,

the market envies your opulence,

some tag you a whizz, some a witch.

The market leader’s miscarriages are your doings; they blurt.

 

Omo Alaje,

tell them how Eledua backed you up to whop

ori buruku  in a bout,

Tell them how you singly floored atowo denu,

the dreaded profit eater and incurred the plethora of Aje.
Omo Alaje,

Your tender fingers have been anointed with

the sacred ‘poop’ of ‘Lekeleke’.

Your eyes harbour a spell which it casts on passers-by,

halting their footsteps, as your raconteuring voice calls out

“Temi-ni-e-wo Temi-ni-e-ra”.

 

Omoalaje,

even your beauty inholds charm that hexes

young merchants, bringing them all back again,

all in the bid to own your gracefulness in its entirety.

Even baba Risikat the bald headed tycoon,

heard of your wealth in beauty and possession,

tried to add you to his league of wives.

Who would resist your charm, Omo alaje, Awelewa.

They know not who Alamu the sculpture maker is to you.

 

Omo Alaje,

Efunsetan’s wealth licks the dust off the feet of yours,

yet,  humility engulfs you, as you joy most in your patronizers

as they swarm your conglomerate as ants to sugar.

In variety, goods flock in to be carted out in a jiffy via buyers,

Despite credit services, your profits know no bounds.

Ajenirun will eat till its bursts out of constipation,

without accomplishing a minute of its renown mission.

 

Omo Alaje,

Riri says she saw your persistent trials

in the womb of oceans, while Airi attested to hearing

your cries dance in Orunmila’s ears each season,

which facilitated his hearkening to you from

his holy mountains. Shame on your detractors.

Triplets you conceived.

 

And as a hungry man devours a plate of food,

Aje jowo maa bugba mi je.

 

I am Omo Alaje, Aje’s abode.

 

Glossary

Airi– The one who didn’t see

Riri– the one who saw

Atowo denu– from hand to mouth

Aje– goddess of wealth

Ajenirun– the devourer

Okuta– state of no sales

Lekeleke– bird of luck

Omo Alaje– Daughter of the goddess of wealth.

Aje jowo maa bugba mi je– goddess of wealth, kindly always grant me abundant sales .

Temi-ni-e-wo Temi-ni-e-ra– “Check my own goods, buy my own goods.”

Written By

Tejuoso Olamide Mary